The Volkswagen ID.3 has won two major awards in less than a week, displaying a breadth of talents to win Carbuyer’s ‘Best Family Electric Car’ title, as well as being named ‘Game Changer of the Year’ by TopGear.com, in recognition of its importance in the switchover to electric vehicles. The model was presented with the latter accolade at TopGear.com’s annual awards evening yesterday, held virtually this year, and follows its Volkswagen Group electric stablemate, the Porsche Taycan, which won the same award in 2019.
TopGear.com judges praised the ID.3’s ease of use and classy styling, as well as its overall appeal as a package. The ID.3 fulfils the brief set out by the 2016 I.D. concept, offering long ranges, technological innovations, intelligent connectivity and an engaging drive, with an affordable entry-level price of £29,990 for the ID.3 Life – the current entry-level variant.
At Carbuyer, the judges commended the ID.3’s interior space, comfort and different available specifications and ranges, with its diverse line-up of eight equipment and quality-packed variants bolstering the model’s appeal to customers. Ease of use was high on the list of accolades praised by Carbuyer too, as were the ID.3’s mass market intentions and breadth of appeal – attributes that have been praised time and again by the media.
Richard Ingram, Editor of Carbuyer.co.uk, said: “The Volkswagen ID.3 is the closest we’ve come to zero-emission motoring for the masses. It’s spacious, good to drive and so easy to live with – whether you’re new to EVs or a hardened electric car convert. Furthermore, with a wide range of batteries and specs to choose from, there’s an ID.3 for everyone. Congratulations to Volkswagen on a well-deserved win.”
The model is available in a variety of well-equipped variants, with all ID.3s featuring Car2X technology, ID.Light car-to-driver light communication system, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), a 10-inch Discover Navigation Pro capacitive touch-screen navigation infotainment system, and a vast array of comfort and convenience features.
Jack Rix, Editor of TopGear.com, said: “The ID.3 doesn’t dazzle you with experimental technology or shout about the fact that it runs on batteries instead of fuel, it’s just a practical, well-engineered family hatchback that happens be an electric car.
“When you combine the scale of Volkswagen’s ambitions with how competent the ID.3 is, it’s an ominous sign for other manufacturers. The world’s biggest car maker has gone all-in on electric, and it’s done it well. And that’s got to be good news for all drivers out there looking to cushion their transition to an electric future.”
The ID.3 is no stranger to accolades, having been given carwow’s ‘Most Wanted’ Award for creating the biggest buzz on the publication’s website some months before its official launch, and being named GQ’s Best Family Car at the 2020 GQ Car Awards, with the judging panel of the latter describing the model as the ‘Electric People’s Car’.
Ralf Brandstätter, CEO of Volkswagen, appreciates the range of awards that have recently been presented by important British media:
“This is fantastic recognition of the dedication and passion of team Volkswagen, who made the ID.3 happen. Only five years ago we set out on a mission to provide emission-free mobility to all. Now, the manifestation of this mission, the ID.3, has become the number-one selling car in Europe. And the ID.3 is only the beginning. We are investing 11 billion euros in e-mobility, with many more exciting models to come soon. With the ID-family, we are not just paving the “WayToZero”, but also to becoming the world leader in e-mobility.”
